Aurora to replace 105-year-old Downer Place bridges

Built in 1906, the bridges that carry Downer Place over the Fox River and Stolp Island in downtown Aurora are about to be replaced — at a cost of $11.78 million.

While the city has not been made aware of any dangers or structural deficiencies, after 105 years, it's time for an upgrade, said Kevin Stahr, city spokesman.

“The bridge has exceeded its useful life,” Stahr said. “It's just a question of its age.”

With the federal government picking up 80 percent of the tab, the city expects to contribute about $2.35 million for engineering work and construction of the new structures.

Because Downer crosses Stolp Island, two separate bridges will be replaced — one bringing Downer from the Eastern shore of the Fox River to the island, and another carrying its traffic from the Island to the West side of the river.

Preliminary work is set to begin this fall, with construction projected to begin in January. The timeline for completing the bridges will depend on weather, but the city's goal is to have them open for traffic again by fall 2012, Stahr said.

During construction, traffic that would have headed West on Downer, a one-way street, will be detoured one block south, where Benton Street will change from an eastbound one-way to accommodate two-way traffic between Broadway and River streets, Stahr said.

So far, the city hired HR Green Inc., of Yorkville, to provide construction engineering services for $977,896 and serve as a consultant on the project.

Bids will be sought later this fall for a construction company to build the new bridges.